I watched the Emperor walk into the tavern in plain clothes, probably looking pretty stunned.
As he came in like that, his eyes met mine where I stood on the second-floor balcony.
I quickly moved to pay my respects, but the Emperor shook his head. He was telling me to pretend I hadn’t seen him.
Looking around him, I saw six bodyguards following, all of them clearly very skilled warriors.
With that kind of escort, I really didn’t need to worry about his safety.
Since everyone in the Emperor’s group was dressed in plain clothes, no one realized they were with the Emperor.
Except me.
Honestly, who would ever imagine the Emperor was here?
I let out a sigh inwardly and turned back to Poet Song Rok.
“Do you still remember everything in the contract you signed, Poet Song?”
“Of course.”
“Then you remember the clause about maintaining dignity too, right?”
At my question, he nodded.
“I’ll trust you to handle yourself properly.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“If you’ve had enough fresh air, you should go back and enjoy the banquet. A lot of people are waiting for you, Poet Song.”
“Ah, that’s true. Then I’ll return to my seat.”
Once I sent Poet Song away, the one who came over to where I was standing was the Zhuge Clan’s Retired Clan Lord.
Still as robust as ever.
“Are you enjoying the banquet?”
At my question, the Retired Clan Lord chuckled and replied.
“Thanks to you, I’ve had a very pleasant time, and I’m still having one. Honestly, I never thought they’d invite me as a judge for a poetry contest.”
“With the reputation you’ve built up, no one would dare object.”
“Heh, I guess all those years of diligently inviting guests over to drink and talk have finally paid off.”
Then he glanced at the people who had just walked in and taken seats nearby, and sent me a voice transmission.
— Is that His Majesty the Emperor?
How did he figure that out? I’d thought His Majesty had done a pretty good job hiding himself.
— You look curious how I figured it out.
— Yes, I am. I can’t even see his face under that bamboo hat.
— Think about it. Here in Beijing, with the Imperial Palace right next door, how many people can move around with guards at that level?
— Ah, that makes sense.
I nodded.
— But are those guards really that strong?
— From what I can see, two of them are Profound-realm warriors. And there’s one more Transcendent-realm warrior hiding somewhere out of sight.
“…”
Not only was he moving around with two Profound-realm warriors, he even had a Transcendent-realm expert as a bodyguard?
It really drove home how formidable the Emperor was.
But if the Retired Clan Lord could even sense a Transcendent-realm warrior hiding… didn’t that mean the Retired Clan Lord himself was in the Transcendent realm?
— Coming all the way here in plain clothes and settling in that spot… I’d say they’re the ones His Majesty came for.
The Zhuge Clan’s Retired Clan Lord looked at the eight poets exchanging cups of wine and sent another voice transmission.
I gave a small nod.
Just like I’d guessed earlier, a few of them would probably receive the Emperor’s imperial decree.
“By the way, when are you planning to head back to Hubei?”
“I’m thinking of leaving in about three days.”
“I see. I’m planning to depart tomorrow.”
“You’re not staying a bit longer?”
“I prefer warmer places.”
Well, compared to Hubei, where Mount Bokryong was, Beijing really was freezing.
That’s what you get for being this far north.
“That’s exactly why this country is rotten to the core!”
A loud shout suddenly rang out.
Startled, I turned around. One poet had shot to his feet, slamming the table and shouting.
Is that really something to yell in front of the Emperor?
Ah…
Right, they had no idea the Emperor was here…
Next to him, Poet Song Rok tried to calm him with a gentle voice.
“You’ve had too much to drink.”
“But am I wrong? Commoners are starving because there’s no grain, while the landowners live in luxury!”
Watching him rant in righteous fury, I quietly sighed.
In the end, I’d have to step in.
Since Young Master In Gye-seong had already left early due to other business, I was the only host left.
I walked over and spoke.
“I understand how you feel, but please lower your voice. You’re disturbing everyone around you.”
“Is that really the problem right now?”
He sneered at me.
“Well, you’re just a lowly merchant who only cares about money. Of course you wouldn’t know what really matters.”
This bastard…
At those words, Song Rok and the nearby guests, shocked, hurried to stop him.
“What are you saying?”
“Apologize, now!”
“We’re sorry, Deputy Merchant Lord Eun. He’s had too much to drink…”
“Apologize for what? Did I say anything wrong?”
He kept going, staring straight at me.
“And the fact that people are starving is largely because of merchants like you! You go crazy for money and hoard wealth however you can!”
Well, he wasn’t completely wrong.
There really are merchants who only care about money.
They sell fakes, charge outrageous markups, and hurt people.
But there are far more merchants with a conscience.
That’s the only reason this empire still functions. If merchants didn’t work hard to move goods around, wouldn’t people in each region be stuck only using whatever grew in their own backyard?
Without merchants, people in the north would go their whole lives without even knowing what sugar is.
And the people in the south would never get to use the high-quality ironware produced in the north.
And the way he’d been talking down to me from the start for no reason was really getting on my nerves.
But what was the point of trying to reason with someone that drunk?
I let out a sigh.
“You’ve clearly had too much.”
The judges nearby rose from their seats and backed me up.
“We should probably end things here.”
“Yes, that would be for the best.”
I bowed to them.
“I’m sorry for the disturbance.”
“Not at all. You’ve done nothing wrong, Deputy Merchant Lord Eun.”
“To think someone would talk like that to the Handsome Young Hero everyone praises…”
“Exactly. The fault lies with that fool who runs his mouth without understanding the world.”
At that, the man exploded again.
“Doesn’t understand the world? Who are you talking about? You’re the hypocrite who’s blind to how the world really works!”
“…!”
A hypocrite.
Someone who only pretends to be a man of virtue. For scholars, that’s one of the harshest insults you can throw.
Man, I really hate this kind of troublemaker.
Especially the ones who get drunk and start causing scenes. There’s just no dealing with them.
Their rational mind is completely gone.
From the side, the Emperor watched me with amused eyes. He was probably curious how I’d handle this.
Good grief.
I apologized to the scholar in his place.
“Please don’t take it to heart. They’re just the ravings of a drunk.”
“Hm! Hmph!”
“Please leave things here to me.”
After saying that, I turned to the man spouting nonsense.
“By the way, watching you moved me deeply, great hero. Your spirit is truly overflowing.”
“Hahaha! Well, I can be like that.”
“Here, have a drink from this humble merchant.”
I sat him back down and poured him a cup of wine.
Flattered by my praise, he didn’t refuse.
I kept refilling his cup, listening attentively to his indignant nonsense.
The people around us quietly watched, looking like they had no idea what I was up to.
“Oh, I’ve poured you way too much. Are you all right?”
“Of course! I’m perfectly sober!”
“That’s a relief. Anyway, there’s a way you could show everyone just how openhanded and bold you are. Would you… be interested?”
“Hm? And what would that be?”
“You pick up tonight’s tab. Honestly, it won’t come out to that much. So this is the perfect chance. If you boldly declare it on a night like this, everyone will cheer for you.”
“R-really?”
“Absolutely.”
I gently coaxed him, and in the end, he took the bait.
“Fine! I’ll pay for all the drinks tonight!”
“You really… mean that?”
“Really! Of course!”
“Forgive me, but this humble merchant finds it hard to trust just words. I’ve actually been swindled a few times…”
“Tsk, tsk. How clueless do you have to be to get scammed?”
“Which is why I’d like you to write a short pledge.”
“Of course!”
Palgap quickly brought over brush and ink, and the man wrote, in elegant calligraphy, that he would pay the entire bill for tonight before signing it.
“Ah, thank you so much.”
I raised my voice.
“Everyone! Great Hero Im Man-gu here has kindly offered to cover all of tonight’s drinks!”
I continued.
“What an incredibly generous man, don’t you think?”
Then I sent a voice transmission to Palgap and the Escort Guards.
— Cheer.
They immediately let out loud cheers, and the others, catching on, joined in.
Im Man-gu lifted his hand slightly, looking very pleased with himself.
As he went around accepting cups from those praising him, he finally collapsed forward onto the table and passed out.
I grinned.
“Waiter!”
“Ah, yes!”
At my call, the waiter hurried over.
“Put everything everyone ate and drank in this tavern today on Great Hero Im Man-gu’s tab.”
“Understood.”
“And if he tries to weasel out of it, you have his signed pledge right here. Just come find the Beijing branch of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Song Rok looked at me anxiously and asked,
“I-is this really okay?”
“Yes. It is.”
“But… this is…”
“Did I lie about anything?”
He thought for a moment, then scratched his head.
“Uh… no.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
The judge who’d been insulted as a hypocrite looked at me and clicked his tongue.
“So this is what you call revenge.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m just a lowly merchant, but I’m terribly petty and my personality’s awful.”
“You have my thanks.”
“I only took care of my own grudge.”
Then Palgap spoke up next to me.
“I’ve made up my mind.”
“About what?”
“I’m never making young master my enemy.”
At that, the people around us all nodded like they completely agreed.
Tonight’s bill?
For me, it wasn’t much. But would it really be “nothing” for that Im Man-gu?
Like I said earlier, drunks who cause trouble are hopeless.
Their reason just flies out the window.
The way to deal with them is simple.
First you give them even more to drink and put them to sleep. Then, when they wake up, you present them with a situation that sobers them up in an instant.
If they’re drunk, it’s very easy to set something like that up. Especially with someone full of a hero complex like him.
I knew what kind of person he was the moment he started shouting that the country was rotten and the people were starving.
Do you have any idea how much rice goes into making alcohol…?
Saying that while guzzling wine is complete nonsense.
And judging by his clothes and shoes, he wasn’t exactly poor. Has someone like that ever actually helped anyone in need?
I could say with certainty he hadn’t.
People who only talk big never spend their own money to help others.
Anyway, how will Im Man-gu feel when he wakes up tomorrow morning to a massive bill?
He should still consider it an honor.
How many people get the honor of buying drinks for the Emperor?
Thinking that, I glanced over at the Emperor drinking on the other side. He looked at me and smiled faintly.
All the while quietly sipping his wine…
Wait. That wine is ridiculously expensive.
.
.
.
We got ready to leave Beijing.
Tomorrow morning, we’d be heading back to Hubei Province.
Which meant today was my last day to train in the Imperial Palace Martial Art before I ever made it back to Beijing again.
“Honestly, this is the first time I’ve seen someone progress as fast as you.”
At Warrior Jin Yeong’s words, I clasped my fists.
“You’re too kind.”
“No, I mean it.”
Warrior Jin Yeong smiled in satisfaction and went on.
“When do you think you’ll be back?”
“Probably once the weather warms up.”
“Then it’ll be around the Fourth Month.”
“Most likely.”
Warrior Jin Yeong pulled a letter from his robe and handed it to me.
“You said you’d be stopping by that academy on your way, didn’t you?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
“He asked me to have you deliver this to Yeon-sik.”
On the envelope, it said [To my son].
Come to think of it, that Warrior from the Embroidered Guard had a good-for-nothing son who’d enrolled at that academy not long ago.
“All right.”
“By the way, I haven’t done anything to make you my enemy, have I?”
“Huh? Where’s that coming from all of a sudden?”
“Lately, that fellow Im Man-gu has been the most popular topic of conversation in the palace.”
“Ah…”
“His Majesty even said it himself. He told us never to make an enemy of you.”
I laughed and replied.
“He brought it on himself.”
I’d heard he was selling off his estate to pay that bar tab. Collecting on alcohol debts is what taverns do best.
He should’ve just quietly drunk his wine.
Still, he’s not a complete idiot. I’m sure he’s finally realized what truly matters now.
“Oh, right. What happened with those assassins?”
“We captured every last one of them.”
“That’s a relief. Beijing will be a bit more peaceful now.”
“Once again, we owe you.”
“Please don’t say that. I don’t think we need stiff words like that between us.”
“Hearing you say that makes me grateful. Have a safe trip back.”
The next day.
We left Beijing.
Our group included Poet Song Rok’s family, as well as the five guards returning to the main branch.
There was a brazier inside the carriage, so it wasn’t that cold.
After traveling for about ten days, we reached the outskirts of Henan.
We rented rooms at an inn there, and Brother Jeong-ho and I left with a few Escort Guards in tow.
We stopped in front of a building.
A sign at the entrance read [Righteous Person Academy].
This was Righteous Person Academy, a rehabilitation-focused academy that specialized in giving people a second chance.
But…
“Well now, look who it is.”
“What brings you here?”
–TL Notes–
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